


You Have Your Work and Nothing More

by onyxfyrefly



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Break Up, Broken Engagement, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, FrostIron - Freeform, Hurt Loki (Marvel), Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Love at First Sight, M/M, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 08:43:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15433251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onyxfyrefly/pseuds/onyxfyrefly
Summary: “What’s your policy on returning rings?”





	You Have Your Work and Nothing More

**Author's Note:**

> Onyx is having a bad day and needed some angst. This came out of no where so please, please, please let me know what you think. And before you yell at me read the notes at the end.

“What’s your policy on returning rings?” Loki kept his gaze locked firmly on the display case in front on him, the glint of the jewels making his already stinging eyes ache. He didn’t dare meet the eyes of the employee in front of him lest he see sympathy or, heaven forbid, _pity_ reflected back at him.

The reply was made by what seemed to be an older woman. “All sales are final. Since everything is custom it is highly unlikely that anyone else will be interested in the piece.”

Loki let out a slow breath before nodding. “Okay. Thank you.” He turned and walked towards the door, his eyes downcast. It had taken him months to pay for the ring, working every side job imaginable until he nearly collapsed in exhaustion. He remembered the sense of pride that had flowed through him when the final payment was made. Pausing at the door he allowed his fingers to brush against the velvet box in his pocket. Perhaps he could pawn it. It was a beautiful ring and had never been worn, surely he could at least get enough to cover his rent for the next month.

“Sir? Sir!” Loki jerked to attention when he realized that the saleswoman was speaking to him.

Carefully he turned but still avoided his eyes. “Yes?”

“I’m probably going to get in serious trouble for this but come on over and let’s see what we can do about that ring.”

Perhaps it was his dejected posture or perhaps it was the sight of his neat but worn clothing, just because he was dating a billionaire didn’t mean that he allowed Tony to pay for everything, but the woman put her job on the line to help Loki out.

She had taken the ring out to inspect it for damage and Loki was forced to turn away. It was a simple design; three bands of metal twisting together with an emerald set into the center. Originally Loki had considered a ruby since it was the color associated with Iron Man but green was his favorite color and he wanted nothing more than to see Tony wearing something that was innately _Loki’s._

“This is a beautiful piece. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to but did they not like it?”

Loki shook his head. “No. I never even got the chance to ask.” The woman made a sound of sympathy, likely assuming that his love had died, before refunding the full amount to his bank card. When Loki tried to protest she simply shook her head and ushered him out of the shop.

The autumn wind was sharp and Loki pulled up his hood as he began the long walk back to the tower. He knew he should be angry or sad or disappointed but instead he just felt…numb.Part of him hoped that this was all a bad dream and he would wake up any moment with Tony at his side but the other part of him knew that this was just another one of the many disappointments life had granted him.

~*~

Loki met Tony Stark two years ago, stereotypically, at a bar. Well, not exactly. Loki had been bartending at a gala that Stark Industries was hosting when none other than Tony Stark had walked up to him. The other bartenders had practically tripped over themselves in order to serve the inventor but Loki had waited patiently as the other man perused the bottles behind the bar.

“Aren’t you going to start working on my order?” Tony asked with a raised eyebrow.

Crossing his arms behind his back, Loki shook his head. “That’s impossible. How am I going to start your order without knowing what you want?”

To his surprise Tony smirked and leaned against the bar. “Oh, I think you know what I want.”

It took every ounce of Loki’s self control not to roll his eyes at the blatant flirtation. “I know you want something smooth yet strong and perhaps you wouldn’t mind if it had a bit of bite as well.”

Tony’s eyes widened slightly and he gestured at the bar. “Alright, show me what you’ve got.”

Loki was determined not to be intimated by such a high-end guest and proceeded to mix a drink with a speed that made it difficult for Tony to keep track of which liquors were being combined. He expertly shook the drink then strained it into a highball glass with one large ice cube to keep it from being diluted. The cocktail was a warm amber, nearly the color of Tony’s eyes, and Loki slowly slid the drink across the bar.

Without breaking eye contact Tony took a sip then glanced at the glass in surprise. “This is delicious. What the hell is it?”

The bartender smiled. “A secret recipe. If you want another just tell the waitstaff to ask for Loki.”

“Loki?”

“That’s my name.”

Tony took another sip and stood up, glancing over the crowded ballroom with resignation. “I don’t like secrets, Loki. I will find out what’s in this by the end of the night.”

“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

To Loki’s surprise Tony bypassed the waitstaff and returned to the bar for every refill. He would spend a few minutes chatting and laughing with Loki before disappearing back into the crowd. By the end of the night he was pleasantly tipsy but was never able to get the recipe from Loki. Acknowledging his defeat he had slipped a _very_ generous tip along with a business card with his cell phone number scrawled across the back across the bar and ended the discussion with an offer to show him how to mix that drink at his personal penthouse bar.

Loki had politely thanked Tony and once the playboy was out of sight he pocketed the tip and tore up the business card before tossing it in the trash. True, Loki might be struggling to hold onto three different jobs just to keep the lights on in his tiny apartment but he wasn’t about to become another notch on Tony’s headboard.

The gala might have been the first time that Loki met Tony but it wasn’t the last time they crossed paths. Over the next three months there were several different events that Loki was working where the genius was in attendance. Sometimes he was bartending while other times he was simply a server or a busser. No matter what role he was playing Tony made a point to stop and speak with him. In fact it was Tony’s presence that saved him from a tongue lashing from his manager for lingering too long with a guest. Loki wished he could have taken a picture of the man’s face when Tony chastised him in front of the entire gala.

It didn’t take Loki too long to realize that Tony was making a point to attend events where he was working and finally confronted the engineer. “Are you following me?”

Tony at least tried to look surprised. “What are you talking about? I attend this event every year!”

Loki wasn’t convinced and crossed his arms over his chest. “Uh-huh. What’s this fundraiser for?”

Helpless the genius looked around for clues. “Umm…cancer research? First responders? Saving the whales?” He sighed and sat down heavily on a bar stool. “Fine, you caught me. I might have looked into which catering company you worked for but I’ve made a donation every time! That has to count for something.”

Rolling his eyes Loki quickly filled a waitress’ order before turning back to Tony. “And why exactly are you following me? My drinks can’t be _that_ good.”

For a moment Tony was silent then he tossed back the rest of his drink for courage. “Because you make these events bearable. You’re smart and sexy and have a wicked sense of humor.” He took the fresh drink from Loki and traced his finger around the rim. “Why didn’t you call me after that first night?”

Loki snorted and Tony flicked his eyes upwards. “The moment you left I threw that card away. The last thing I needed was to be known as Tony Stark’s latest conquest.”

Tony was unable to hide his flinch. “I guess that’s fair but to be honest I never saw you as a conquest. I…I just wanted to spend time with you.”

Despite his best efforts, Loki’s mouth fell open slightly. “Is the great Tony Stark admitting that he has a crush?”

Almost immediately the tips of Tony’s ears turned red. “And if I do? Will that convince you to have dinner with me?”

The teasing grin faded from Loki’s face. “Tony, I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Come to the tower. It’s completely private and we can order in so you don’t have to worry about your face being plastered all over some tabloid.”

There was a long silence where Loki filled two more orders before turning back to Tony. “Just dinner?”

“Just dinner.” Against his best judgement he agreed and Tony quickly rattled off the details.

Despite his best efforts Loki was swept off his feet during their first “date” and within a month he had fallen into bed with the engineer. Three months later he admitted his love and within a year he had moved into the tower. 

It all seemed like a fairytale. Tony was kind and attentive, doting on Loki but never making him feel suffocated. He understood Loki’s desire to work and pay his own way but was happy to spoil him as often as possible. Tony would still have his binges in the lab but Loki was more than happy to read on the battered couch as Tony worked or, if necessary, drag the engineer away when he needed to rest.

When Iron Man was called into action Loki would watch the television with baited breath, not allowing himself to relax until Tony was safely back at the tower. He would kiss each mark left behind and show his gratitude until they were both thoroughly exhausted.

Nearly two years had passed and everything was perfect…until it suddenly wasn’t.

Tony started spending more and more time in the lab which wouldn’t have bothered Loki except for the fact that he was locked out. The most he could do was relay a message to JARVIS and hope that Tony received it. He still worked long hours and often when he collapsed into bed after a long day that was when he would feel Tony’s hands on him. The engineer never forced him but Loki saw him so infrequently that he didn’t have the heart to tell him that he wasn’t in the mood. Despite his exhaustion he would roll onto his stomach and allow Tony to take him, hiding the fact that he wasn’t hard. It was nice to have that intimacy once more and often this was the only time he would see Tony before he disappeared into the lab once more.

Loki kept telling himself that things would get better, that there had to be a special project that Tony was working on that kept him locked away in his lab. He pushed his doubts to the side when he purchased the ring, attempting not to balk at the price tag, because he knew that one day Tony would emerge from his lab and things would go back to the way they were before.

The final straw occurred on what would have been their second anniversary. A month prior Loki had been able to catch Tony outside of the lab and lured him to the kitchen for dinner. When he brought up their anniversary Tony’s eyes had lit up and he had told JARVIS to make a reservation at one of his favorite restaurants. It was just like old times as they spent the evening laughing and joking over dinner and that night they didn’t even make it to the bedroom, Tony simply bent Loki over the dining table and proceeded to show him how much he had missed him.

JARVIS had assured Loki that he had reminded Tony of the date every day leading up to their anniversary and even though Loki hadn’t seen Tony in nearly a week he knew that the engineer wouldn’t miss this special occasion. On the night of the event Loki was informed that Tony was running late and to go to the restaurant without him. Loki had splurged on a new suit and he could feel the press of the velvet box against his thigh with each step.

After three hours he knew that Tony wasn’t coming and he avoided the pitying stares of the staff as he slipped outside. Not able to face Tony he slept in one of the guest rooms and wondered what he had done wrong. He had done his best to support Tony in every way but deep down he knew the truth, he wasn’t good enough. He should have known better. Tony was a genius and a billionaire and Loki was no one. He had a useless degree, a bartending license and nothing more. With a watery sigh he rolled over and attempted to get some sleep, he knew that the next day was going to be brutal.

~*~

Four days later Tony finally emerged from his lab and glanced around the penthouse. It felt…empty. “JARVIS, where’s Loki?”

_”He is gone, sir.”_

“Did he say when he would be back?”

_”Sir, I do not believe that you understand. Mr. Laufeyson moved out of the tower two days ago.”_

Tony nearly stumbled. “What? Why? Did he leave a message?”

_”No. But I believe it had something to do with your anniversary dinner.”_

“Why would he be upset about that? It’s this weekend, right?”

If the AI could of sighed it would have. “ _It was four days ago.”_

“Shit! Why didn’t you remind me?”

_”I did, sir, but after my last attempt you muted me._

Tony slowly sank onto the couch. “Where is he now? Did he leave a forwarding address?”

_”No and it appears that his cell phone has been disconnected.”_

“Find him. I don’t care how but find him! I need to make this right.” JARVIS didn’t reply and Tony let his head fall back wondering how he let things go this far. Sure, he’d been busy but so had Loki and the other man had never once complained or even given the slightest hint that he was unhappy. True, Tony had missed an important date but it was just one missed dinner. Loki was just being dramatic. Once JARVIS found him they would sit down and work this mess out.

To Tony’s surprise finding Loki was easier said than done. It was almost a month before JARVIS was able to confirm that he was working at a dive bar in Queens. Tony donned a baseball hat and sunglasses and made his way to the bar. When he pushed through the door his breath caught. There was Loki, his hair pulled back in a ponytail, dressed in all black and laughing as he mixed a drink. Tony could see how the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes and his jeans hung too low on his lips.

Loki’s eyes caught his and he spoke a quick word to his co-worker before marching towards the door. He walked right past Tony and disappeared around the corner and into an alley. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed when Tony finally caught up. “I see you finally came out of your lab.”

“Loki I…”

“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry. Two years, Tony! Two years of my life I stayed at your side only to be thrown away once you got bored.”

“I didn’t get bored! You don’t understand!”

“Then explain it to me. For months you kept me in the loop about what was going on, you allowed me to spend time in your lab and you let me help you when things were too much and then one day it changed. I keep asking myself over and over what I did wrong, what line I crossed to make you shut me out like that.”

Tony rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Things changed and I needed to work on my suits without a distraction and-”

“So is that all I was? A distraction?” Loki was pacing up and down the alley, his hands wrecking his pristine ponytail. “If you needed space you could have just told me instead of just shutting me out!”

“I know. That was wrong of me and I’m sorry but you have to understand that I have responsibilities and I can’t just ignore them for you.”

Loki huffed out a laugh. “You think I don’t know that? Tony, I used to sit in front of the television, absolutely terrified, every time that you were called out. I was so afraid that this time you wouldn’t come back, that this villain would be too much. That’s why I gave you the space you needed to work on your suits but Tony, you’re obsessed. You disappear in your lab for days and only leave when you absolutely have to.” The bartender turned to face the genius. “I know you feel like you carry the world on your shoulders but I was willing to help share the weight. I loved you…I still do.”

Tony reached for Loki but the taller man jerked back. “Come home, Loki. We can fix this. I’m an engineer and that’s what I do. I fix things.”

The dark head shook, more strands slipping free of his ponytail. “No, Tony. This can’t be fixed. I know that Iron Man and the safety of the world is your number one priority, which makes sense, but I wasn’t your second or third…I’m not sure I even made the top ten. I don’t deserve to be treated like that…no one does.” He voice was soft and began to fade on the final words.

By now Tony’s face was pale under the harsh streetlight. “JARVIS said you left because I didn’t show up to our anniversary dinner. Is that true?”

There was a beat of silence before Loki nodded. “Yes and no. We had arranged that dinner a month prior and when we discussed it you looked so happy. I knew that things were going to get better between us and we were going to be happy again. Then I sat in that restaurant for three hours feeling like a fool and I knew, at that moment, where I stood in your life.” Tony opened his mouth to speak but Loki cut him off. “Tony, I was going to ask you to marry me. I had the ring in my pocket the entire night. I returned it the next morning.”

Against his will a tear slipped down Tony’s face. “Please, please let me fix this. I love you.”

“No you don’t. You love the idea of me.” Loki glanced at his watch and sighed. “I have to get back. Go home, Tony. It’s over. We tried and we failed and now it’s time to move on.” He walked a few steps then turned to face Tony once more. “Goodbye, Tony.”

Tony stood under the streetlight in that stinking alley for what felt like hours, playing the conversation over and over in his head. How could he have been so blind? The best thing that had happened to him in years was gone and he knew that no matter how hard he tried this was a mistake that he could not fix.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not hate Tony Stark. I luff him. I've been reading a lot of fics where Tony works too much and misses dates and such but is still forgiven and I wanted to write something where that backfires on him. What if he had a lover that wasn't willing to sit around and wait to be noticed?
> 
> Again this was written in a couple of hours so all mistakes are mine and if you want to prompt me come and find me on Tumblr @onyxfyrefly


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